The present invention is directed to an apparatus for monitoring and/or controlling a medical device, such as an infusion pump, from a remote location.
An infusion pump is used to automatically administer liquid medicant to a patient. The liquid medicant is supplied from a source of medicant and pumped into the patient via a catheter or other injection device. The manner in which the liquid is infused is controlled by the infusion pump, which may have various modes of infusion, such as a continuous mode in which the liquid medicant is continuously infused at a constant rate, or a ramp mode in which the rate of infusion gradually increases, then remains constant, and then gradually decreases.
Typically, the monitoring of an infusion pump is performed by reviewing a visual display means incorporated in the infusion pump, and the control of the infusion pump is performed by activating an input device, such as a keypad, incorporated with the infusion pump. Consequently, the monitoring and/or control of an infusion pump is performed at the same location at which the infusion pump is disposed.